GUTS McTAVISH, SUN MEDIA

It has been at least two years since this city has seen a performance between the pipes like the one they witnessed Tuesday.

Roberto Luongo raised his game to a level that initially earned him the right to be called one of the top goalies in the world.

His lights-out play versus a Flames squad who were on pace for 60 shots at the halfway mark proved the point a lot of us had been making. He was capable of better play. A new bar has now been set.

Unfortunately, based on the team's defensive play in front of Lu, he will need to match or exceed that performance at least two or three more times in the first round if they hope to advance.

We waited two years for that display of goaltending. Now we'll need to see it multiple times over a two-week period. Is this doable?

The result was great, but the effort in front of Lu was far from it.

Every single member in that Canucks dressing room knew this was the biggest game of the season. They knew the Flames were struggling to keep their head above Northwest Division waters. It was also no secret that the Flames were about to play the second half of a back-to-back. We saw how much that affected the Canucks last weekend.

Yet somehow the Flames found a way to come out of the gate and blister Luongo with shots. A rubber blizzard, as TSN's Gord Miller would say. At the end of the game every player in that Canuck dressing room knew they were dominated.

This cannot happen at this stage of the year unless the team on the business end of those pucks has some very untimely confidence issues. Timing is everything when it comes to a long run in the postseason. Teams that go the furthest always seem to have their goaltender, forwards and defence all hot at the same time.

The Canucks have proved over the past two months that they are more than capable of excelling at all three positions. The big question is: Are they capable of putting them all together at the same time?